Lockheed Martin Corporation

Timothy John Preston

George Henry Goetz

Robert Leon Ivy

A launch system for plural missiles of different types includes plural launch locations, each adapted for receiving a canisterized missile having a standardized connector, which is coded to indicate the missile type contained within the canister. The system includes an individual fire control unit for each launch location or cell, and power supplies which are available to groups of such cells. An local-area network (LAN), such as Ethernet, interconnects the power supplies, the fire control units, and a central launch control system. Each fire control unit includes a processor for determining the missile type with which it is associated, and an interface card for each different missile type which may be used. The fire control units respond to commands from the central launch control system by interpreting the commands into a parallel form understandable by the missile interface cards. The missile interface cards transform the parallel data into serial data in a format suitable to the missile type being handled in the cell. Ancillary commands, such as launch hatch position and power-supply ON-OFF commands, are carried over the LAN.

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Bel Air, MD, United States of America

Timothy John Preston